1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to online and/or mobile payments and more particularly to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) payment system.
2. Related Art
More and more consumers are purchasing items and services over electronic networks such as, for example, the Internet. Consumers routinely purchase products and services from payees and individuals alike. The transactions may take place directly between a conventional or on-line payee or retailer and the consumer, and payment is typically made by providing credit card or other financial information. Transactions may also take place with the aid of an on-line or mobile payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. Such payment service providers can make transactions easier and safer for the parties involved. Purchasing with the assistance of a payment service provider from the convenience of virtually anywhere using a mobile device is one main reason why on-line purchases are growing very quickly.
One conventional way of making mobile payments is for payees to program an account identification number for an account on an RFID tag and provide an RFID device including that RFID tag to the account holder. The payer may then use that RFID device to transmit the account identification number to a payee so that the account may be used to make a payment. For example, RFID tags are used in toll road systems by programming the RFID tag with an account identification number for an account of a payer and then positioning an RFID device including that RFID tag in a car of the payer. When that car passes through a toll that includes a scanning antenna, the RFID tag will detect a signal from the scanning antenna and, in response, transmit the account identification number to a payee device so that the account of the payer may be charged the toll. However, such conventional systems only allow one account or funding source to be associated with the RFID tag, which may require the payer to carry around multiple physical RFID devices, each programmed and provided by particular payees, if the payer would like to make mobile payments to those payees.
Thus, there is a need for an improved RFID payment system.